Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between mental health nurses and mental health specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a mental health nurse, becoming a mental health specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a mental health nurse has an average salary of $106,812, which is higher than the $47,321 average annual salary of a mental health specialist.
The top three skills for a mental health nurse include patients, psychiatric mental and PMHNP. The most important skills for a mental health specialist are patients, social work, and rehabilitation.
| Mental Health Nurse | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $106,812 | $47,321 |
| Hourly rate | $51.35 | $22.75 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 86,884 | 131,449 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A mental health nurse is responsible for assisting with the diagnosis and treatment plans of patients with mental health complications. Mental health nurses handle high-quality nursing care under mental health professionals' supervision within a hospital or mental health institution. They support in performing therapeutic activities, administering medical examinations, and counseling patients to know more about their conditions. A mental health nurse also does administrative tasks as needed, such as organizing and updating patients' information on the database, processing treatment payments, and responding to the family's inquiries and concerns.
A mental health specialist is responsible for evaluating a patient's mental health condition and develop appropriate treatment plans to help the patients cope up with their mental difficulties. Mental health specialists provide counseling to the patients, listening to their situation, and responding with the utmost consideration. They also create regular progress reports and medical charts to monitor ongoing medication, updating treatment plans as needed. A mental health specialist must have excellent communication and organization skills, helping the patients deal with their mental stress and return to a healthy lifestyle.
Mental health nurses and mental health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mental Health Nurse | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Average salary | $106,812 | $47,321 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $182,000 | Between $31,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Community Health Systems | Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene Inc |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a mental health nurse and a mental health specialist in terms of educational background:
| Mental Health Nurse | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Psychology |
| Most common college | Duke University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between mental health nurses' and mental health specialists' demographics:
| Mental Health Nurse | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.9% Female, 83.1% | Male, 32.9% Female, 67.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 9.1% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 15% |